Near Miss
by ilovemaddy
Summary: On the day after the School Play, Arnold reads too much into their onstage kiss...or so he thinks after telling Helga about his ideas.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: The writer of this story is neither rich or imaginative to own or create such a great series. (She's dang lazy, too.)   
  
Helga sighed as she watched the view from the harbor. She was sitting on the edge of the pier. She swung her legs which was dangling a few feet above the water. It's beautiful, she thought serenely.   
  
Of course, everything seems beautiful today, she added.   
  
She decided she would stay here all day and wait for the sunset.   
  
It's the weekend, she reasoned. And I just finished being the lead in a school play. I'm entitled to a day of rest and relaxation.   
  
Everything was so peaceful. The excitement of the school play had died down by the weekend for most people, but she felt a strange afterglow because the kiss was still fresh in her mind.   
  
She touched her lips lightly and felt her face get hot.   
  
Am I'm blushing?   
  
Poppycock! Helga G. Pataki does not blush! I'm being silly...   
  
But happy, she allowed herself to admit.   
  
She bent over to look at the water. The sunlight bounced playfully off the motionless surface. Even Elk Island seemed less creepy and more inviting. It was all so perfect.   
  
Well, almost.   
  
One thing would make her day even more perfect. Arnold here with her. He's the only one she wanted to share this sight with.   
  
But then again, she grinned, if he was here, I might not notice this. A million sunsets could not hold a candle to those incredible green eyes. She pictured him standing there , this time there would be no scripts, just them speaking out their true inner feelings for each other and then...   
  
Yeah, right, and then I'll call Ripley's Believe It or Not and report it all.   
  
No, she told herself. She's not gonna spoil today by thinking rationally. Look at that horizon. Pure magic. If there was a place for dreaming, this would be it.   
  
Once more, she looked down at the water.   
  
In the reflection, she saw him sitting beside her and it almost caused her to fall over.   
  
She sucked in her breath and jerked her head up.   
  
"Arnold!" she exclaimed. He really was sitting there beside her. She wasn't going crazy after all.   
  
"Uh, I didn't see you approaching."   
  
He looked at what Helga was watching. It was a great view. "I can see why," he replied.   
  
"Have you been here long?"   
  
"Not really. No." he told her.   
  
I was back there. Watching you, he thought. 


	2. Near Miss Chapter Two

Hi guys! Chapter 2 already! Hope you liked the last one. This thing sort of has a slow start. I think it gets better, but tell me what you think ok? -JIA  
  
Chapter 2:  
Arnold saw Helga as he passed by the harbor coming home from a day of riding his bike down the steepest hill in the neighborhood. He was hesitant about going over to greet her. He hasn't been able to say much to her since that night.   
  
After all, what do you say to the girl you've had your first kiss with?   
  
Much jeering from the other guys had not helped matters either. He's been feeling uncomfortable around her lately. They've been bugging him about whether he liked Helga now and refusing to believe him when he denies it.   
  
To be honest, he doesn't really know.   
  
It was all so childish. It's not like he was the first guy to be seen with a girl. Earlier that year they were teasing one of their other friends, Harold Berman because they saw him with Patty, but they got over teasing him pretty fast.   
  
Of course, that's probably because Harold's thirteen years old and big.   
  
"I'm gonna beat you guys up so bad it won't even be funny!" he heard him tell them if they didn't stop making fun of Patty. Most of the time, Harold annoyed him, but that day, he thought he was pretty cool.   
  
It wouldn't sound cool coming from him though. Harold was big and he was...   
  
Not.   
  
Of course, that didn't mean he couldn't prove he could if he said it. His grandmother had taught him the art of self-defense some time ago, but he promised himself never to seek the fly again.   
  
He couldn't very well hide from her or avoid her forever.   
  
Not if he wants to be sure about how he felt.   
  
He decided that there and then was the time to start trying to return to normal with her, you know, taking a step backward. Either that or...   
  
At least this way, Arnold reasoned, if ever it ends up terribly embarrassing for me, nobody else will be around to add insult to injury.   
  
That also means that there'll be no witnesses, he argued with himself. Helga could throw me in the lake and no one will be the wiser. No one would know where to find me.   
  
No, he didn't mean that. He took it back. He watched her from afar. He couldn't believe she was the same Helga who'd terrorized him and his friends since he could remember.   
  
But he'd seen her like this before. He'd caught glimpses of this Helga, who sat there quietly by herself, sporadically throughout his life.   
  
This Helga whose brows weren't constantly furrowed and whose mouth wasn't scowling. On the contrary, it was turned up at the corners in a sort of half-smile.   
  
It was almost like she could control her own emotions, he observed. Like she had several settings and right now she's in neutral.   
  
Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't even consider what he was planning to do next, but as he watched her in this state, he thought, maybe.   
  
Just maybe... 


	3. Near Miss Chapter Three

Last chapter I'm gonna post for now. Tell me what you guys think, ok? I'll add the last parts later. -JIA  
  
Helga couldn't think of anything more to say and Arnold stopped talking so she turned back to what she was looking at before but found she couldn't concentrate. Instead, she watched Arnold out of the corner of her eye.   
  
"I know I asked for this," she prayed mentally to the powers-that-be. "And I'm grateful, but please don't let me blow it by doing something so like me."   
  
It seemed too good to be true, having him with her, but she didn't care. She doesn't want to pinch herself because if it were a dream, she'd want it to last as long as possible.   
  
And if it is real? Then she wouldn't bother dissecting the situation.   
  
Who cares why he's here? The point is that he is and I'll take him anyway I can...   
  
Criminey, but he's beautiful, thought Helga to herself. She watched him inhale the water-cooled air and exhale with a contented sigh that was just so adorable it made her just want to hug him. Helga put both hands behind her and with her palms flat on the ground, she leaned against them for support.   
  
I will not spoil this...I will not spoil this...I will not....   
  
Well, it's looking good, thought Arnold after a few minutes of sitting quietly with Helga. She hasn't done or said anything terrible yet. It's now or never.   
  
Bold move. But then again, he was a bold kid. He placed his hand on top of Helga's. He felt her stiffen but she did not jerk her hand away.   
  
Hega felt paralyzed.   
  
Is that what I think it is?   
  
Nervously, she stole a glance at the wooden floor where her hand was. It is, she confirmed.   
  
Not that she was complaining, but what did it mean, she wondered.   
  
And he told her. 


	4. Near Miss Chapter Four

Here it is folks! The final chpaters! Thanks for great reviews. Hehe....I wanted to like, hold off finishing in order to get more reviews  
and requests to continue but I think that's a little too desperate even for me don't you? Anyway...I'd still like to see more reviews! -JIA  
  
  
Arnold saw Helga look at their hands. No doubt, she was surprised. She looked up at him with a questioning look.   
  
He met her gaze and said nervously, "Helga, will you be my girlfriend?"   
  
For a full minute she just stared at him, her eyes as big as dinner plates. Her deepest desire, her darkest secret, the one she'd found so hard to confess for six years and he'd said it so plainly. Could she, maybe, finally do the same?   
  
"But, why?" she finally managed to ask. "What-?"   
  
Arnold felt encouraged. He'd come this far and Helga hasn't punched out his lights. He took that as a good sign.   
  
Maybe she had felt it as well.   
  
"Well, " he began. "You know that final scene in the play?" Helga nodded, eager for his explanation..   
  
"Well, everyone said it was really great, and I thought so, too. And I think there might be something there. So maybe, you and I could, y'know, try out being girlfriend and boyfriend and see what happens. "   
  
Helga was pained. He hasn't fallen in love with her, but he thinks he might. If she told him how she felt now, he'd feel obligated to return her feelings, and she'll never know the truth.   
  
But it was her big chance to be with Arnold! Maybe she could overlook this technicality.   
  
Maybe if he got to know her, he might fall in love with her eventually.   
  
This was better than never being his, she told herself. This was definitely better.   
  
This was almost what she wanted.   
  
Almost, but not quite... and a miss is as good as a mile.   
  
I'll take him anyway I can... And Arnold's the nicest guy ever. He would never mean to break my heart...   
  
Too late, she retorted. 


	5. Near Miss Chapter Five

Conclusion!!! Maybe I'm a little biased (it is my story after all) but I seriously got all misty-eyed when I got to this part.   
What about you guys? Not being full of it or anything but I am really proud of this story :)  
  
  
Arnold was still waiting for her answer. Slowly, she withdrew her hand from underneath his. He watched her draw back.   
  
This is it, thought Arnold. Beddy-bye time. She's gonna hit me.   
  
She did, but not the way Arnold had imagined. She whacked the back of his head in a sort of comical big-sisterly way.   
  
"Oww!" Arnold shouted. He got on his feet. "Helga! What's wrong with you?"   
  
"Me?" she replied indignantly, getting up to look him in the eye. She then walked in circles and waved her arms around for emphasis. "What about you? How can you even ask me such a thing? Are you crazy?"   
  
"But I thought...That kiss...didn't you feel anything?"   
  
Helga felt a lump in her throat. Of course she did, and even long before that. She felt a stinging in her eyes.   
  
You better not start crying now, she warned herself. She pretended to laugh.   
  
Arnold winced when she started laughing. He wondered what Helga found so funny that tears started running down her cheeks from laughing.   
  
She wiped her eyes.   
  
"Oh brother, footballhead. " said Helga when she regained composure. "Can't you even comprehend a simple concept such as acting?"   
  
"I know, but-"   
  
"I'm not finished!" she snapped. "Look, I'll admit you did a great job in the play but get over yourself, you're not that good. I mean, you were a good banana, too, when we did the Four Food Groups, but that doesn't mean I wanted to put you in my cereal, now does it?"   
  
Arnold couldn't think of anything to say, he was too confused so he let her go on.   
  
"And what if I did say yes and became your little girlfriend and they asked you to do another play? Would you dump me for your next leading lady and so on? Wait! don't answer that or I'll hit you again, no matter what you say."   
  
"Or maybe you're still getting into character which is why you're forcing yourself to like me, but I've got news for you: Scene's over, Arnoldo."   
  
"I'm not forcing anything." He told her.   
  
"Oh really?" she asked, challenging him. When she saw he wouldn't say otherwise, she added, "So you've really started to like me? Then you're more pathetic than I thought! Honestly, footballhead, can't you think for yourself?"   
  
Arnold blinked. "I don't know what you're talking about." he said.   
  
"Oh yes you do, " she insisted. "You're letting that stupid play decide for you to like me. Just like you only liked Lila after someone else brought it up!"   
  
Helga stopped. She wasn't so sure of the last one, but she always hoped in her heart it was true.   
  
Arnold was dumbfounded. Sure, he didn't think of it that way before, but now he was starting to have doubts. He turned his back on Helga and sat back down.   
  
Helga realized she'd upset Arnold. She was sorry. He had no idea how she felt about him, so he didn't know he would hurt her. What she did was on purpose and it was a low blow. She sat herself beside him.   
  
"Look, Arnold, " she tried again, this time more gently. "All I'm saying is that there's no point in forcing yourself to feel something you don't. You'll find love eventually, you just gotta wait your turn."   
  
She hesitated before saying what she said next for fear it might reveal too much.   
  
But to soothe him, she risked it. "We all do," she added softly. "No cut-sies."   
  
He looked at her. He found it hard to determine which setting she was on at that moment. Not neutral anymore because he definitely saw emotion in her, but she definitely didn't sound like she normally did. She looked and sounded kind of sad.   
  
But wasn't she always sad? he asked himself.   
  
No, she was always unhappy. That's different.   
  
He conceded. "You're right. Thanks, Helga."   
  
And he was grateful. Helga could have told him no and left it at that, but she didn't. She chose to teach him something.   
  
Glad that it was over, Helga replied, "No problem. Hey, you don't mind if I go now, do you?"   
  
"Huh? Of course not, you go ahead."   
  
"Oh good. Because I have to, you know... " Arnold didn't hear her finish her sentence. She got up and walked a few feet away from him.   
  
"...go lick my wounds," she muttered under her breath.   
  
Before she went, she turned to him once more and said, "And Arnold?"   
  
He turned to face her. "Yeah?"   
  
"As far as I'm concerned, this conversation never happened, got that?"   
  
He smiled, glad she felt that way.   
  
They could pretend this never happened and they can go back to normal. That's what he came for anyway, right? If that other thing didn't work out.   
  
"Got it, Helga. " he replied.   
  
And then she was gone, leaving him alone with his thoughts and the sunset.   
  
But as he watched the sun go down, he could think of only one thing:   
  
I wish Helga had stayed a little longer. She might have gotten a kick out of seeing this. 


End file.
